As you get older, your weight may not stay the same as you once hoped! Changes to your metabolism and health may mean you naturally begin to lose weight even if you try not to. Knowing how to combat this trend and regain those beautiful curves is important, especially as women try to keep more of their looks as they age.
Why Do You Naturally Lose Weight As You Get Older?
There’s a reason your weight may not stay the same as you get older, and it has nothing to do with vanity or trying to look like a certain celebrity. Here are the primary reasons behind your changing body:
A Higher Metabolism Means You Burn More Calories
When you get older, your body does not function exactly as it did when you were younger. For example, your joints may become quite arthritic, making daily movement more difficult. This, in turn, may cause you to lose weight even if you eat what you want. A higher metabolism gives you the ability to burn calories more quickly, and this, in turn, may cause you to lose weight despite your best efforts.
Health Issues
If you are fortunate enough to be able to stay healthy and functional into your old age, you might not experience weight gain or loss. However, there are cases where health problems cause you to lose weight even if you eat enough to maintain your current size. For example, hypothyroidism may cause you to gain weight regardless of how often you eat or how much exercise you get. Even if you have the thyroid gland removed and are placed on a stringent diet, you may still experience weight gain due to the lack of hormones.
Weight Gain From A Brittle Nerve
Brittle nerve is a medical term used to define a condition where your nerves become more brittle as you get older. This condition, which can be quite painful, often leads to weight gain. If you have brittle nerves, even the act of eating can be agonizing, causing you to lose weight. Your doctor may prescribe medication to relieve the pain and help you gain weight.
In most cases, you will regain the weight you lost once you become medication-free, though there are some exceptions. For example, those who experience insulin resistance may keep that excess weight for the rest of their lives. This is why the decision regarding your weight should be made carefully, and only after a detailed discussion with your doctor.
Get Rested And Active
If you want to maintain your weight and keep those beautiful curves, you must get rest and active. Sleep allows your body to restore itself after all the daily activities, and this, in turn, may help you burn calories more efficiently. You should also make sure you get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and keep your metabolism at its optimized peak. Even a short walk may burn calories and help you maintain proper weight gain as you get older.
Less Attention To Your Diet
As you get older, your appetite decreases and your hunger pangs lessens. This certainly does not mean you should eat whatever you want to maintain your weight, but it does mean you should pay less attention to your diet. If you want to lose weight, it’s best to focus on the calories you consume rather than the number of meals you eat. If you begin to lose weight and then determine that it wasn’t due to a change in your diet but rather an error in measurement, you may experience a frustrating setback.
When it comes to your diet, you should only focus on food that is healthy and provides your body with nutrients. Avoiding foods with added sugar and opting for instead nutritious alternatives, such as fresh fruit, helps you get the nutrients you need while restricting your caloric intake and minimizing weight gain.
Less Than Perfect Metabolism
If you’re not used to exercising and eating healthily, getting older may make it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight. As you get older, your metabolism stutters and falters, resulting in less energy and fewer calories burned. If you want to keep your weight as you get older, you should work out regularly and eat healthily, as this will help maintain a more perfect metabolism and, in turn, allow you to keep your weight.
If you want to lose weight, you must first determine why you are obese. Are you carrying around extra weight because you have a high metabolism, are you gaining weight due to a health issue, or could it be that you are just not hitting the gym regularly enough or eating healthy enough? Whatever the reason is, once you figure it out, you will be able to successfully combat the weight issue and move towards a healthy lifestyle.